Method of forming a multi-unit folding slab construction for use on restricted building site

ABSTRACT

A folding slab building is disclosed wherein walls and floors are formed with their edges juxtaposed in the same relation as the walls and floors are juxtaposed when the building is erected. The floor slabs have the wall slabs cast in underlying relation. The slabs as formed on the site before they are erected occupy substantially the same area of the finished building on the site after it is erected. The floor and wall slabs, all formed horizontally, define a roadway for the crane or lifting apparatus which erects the folding slabs. The slabs when moved from their horizontal position to their erected and juxtaposed position, provide an edge-to-edge keying relation. This keying relation provides for support of two ceiling slabs on a common wall slab, permits columnar continuity between overlying and underlying walls the foundation to roof distance of a multistory building; and provides a key between adjoining slabs to counteract shear stresses incurred during dynamic loading of the building.

United States Patent [191 Johnson Aug. 13, 1974 METHOD OF FORMING A MULTI-UNIT FOLDING SLAB CONSTRUCTION FOR USE ON RESTRICTED BUILDING SITE [76] Inventor: Delp W. Johnson, 240 Oakview Dr.,

San Carlos, Calif. 94070 22 Filed: Jan. 20, 1972 21 Appl. No; 219,283

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,361,831 12/1920 Crew 52/98 3,331,181 7/1967 Schmidt 52/l25 3,494,092 2/1970 Johnson et al 52/236 3,527,008 9/1970 Greenhalgh; I. 52/749 3,593,482 7/1970 Johnson 52/745 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 108,903 2119615 Denmark 52/236 82,772 5/1957 Denmark 52/745 1,534,979 6/1969 Germany 52/583 8/1967 Switzerland .52/79 4/1966 France ..52/745 Primary Examiner-John E. Murtagh Assistant Examiner-Leslie A. Braun [57] ABSTRACT A folding slab building is disclosed wherein walls and floors are formed with their edges juxtaposed in the same relation as the walls and floors are juxtaposed when the building is erected. The floor slabs have the wall slabs cast in underlying relation. The slabs as formed on the site before they are erected occupy substantially the same area of the finished building on the site after it is erected. The floor and wall slabs, all formed horizontally, define a roadway for the crane or lifting apparatus which erects the folding slabs. The I slabs when moved from their horizontal position to their erected and juxtaposed position, provide an edge-to-edge keying relation. This keying relation provides for support of two ceiling slabs on a common wall slab, permits columnar continuity'between overlying and underlying walls the foundation to roof distance of a multistory building; and provides a key between adjoining slabs to counteract shear stresses incurred during dynamic loading of the building.

4 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDAHB131974 3.828.512

SHEEI 2 0F 4 FIG.. 3

PATENIEB ms 1 31974 SHEEI 3 BF 4 FlG 4 FlG 6.

PATENTED AUG 1 3 I974 3,828.51 2

sum u or 4 FlG 7 This invention relates to a folding slab construction. More particularly this invention discloses a building and building technique whereby concrete walls and ceiling slabs can have their edges juxtaposed during forming in the same relation that the edges are juxtaposed when the slabs are erected in a building.

Heretofore, in folding slab constructions, wall and ceiling slabs have been cast without permitting the slabs as cast to have the same relation when the slabs are erected. As a result, the area adjacent a building site necessary for erecting a folding slab building exceeds by a factor of about two the area necessary to erect a building of conventional construction. This is a direct result of the area for casting the slabs typically being adjacent to, but not on, the foundation site of the building.

It is an object of this invention to form foldably joined wall and ceiling building slabs on a building site utilizing for such forming substantially the same area on the building site as the erected building itself. According to this aspect, wall slabs are cast underlying their respective ceiling slabs, with both the wall slabs and ceiling slabs formed in horizontal relation. The wall slabs, as joined to the ceiling slabs, are formed in discrete overlying building units. The building units are raised from the site area on which they are formed, and moved to an immediately adjoining site area on which they are erected.

An advantage of this technique is that the area necessary for pouring, curing and joining the slabs is substantially the same area occupied by the completed and erected building.

A further advantage of this invention is that slabs for the discrete building units can be formed on one segment of the building site and thereafter erected on an immediately adjacent portion of the building site. Thus, the slabs can be moved a minimal distance to their erected relation.

Yet another advantage of this invention is that the wall slabs when underlying a ceiling slab allow a lifting apparatus, such as a crane, to more closely approach the unit to be lifted. In such a close approach higher loads could be lifted by smaller lifting units.

Yet another object of this invention is to disclose a relation for wall and ceiling slabs of a multistory building permitting the wall and ceiling slabs as formed but not raised to define a roadway giving access of slab erecting equipment to the slabs to be, erected.

An advantage of this roadway formed over the slabs is that cranes used in raising the slabs can travel on top of the slabs to erect a building. The crane need not operate from a position outside of the building site.

Yet another object of this invention is to disclose a juxtaposed relation between adjacent wall slabs and adjacent ceiling slabs when formed which is identical to the juxtaposed relation between the wall slabs and ceiling slabs when erected. As will hereinafter more fully appear this object of juxtaposing the ceilings and walls is a serendipitous advantage of utilizing the foundation site of the finished building as the casting site for the unerected slabs.

An advantage of this juxtaposition between ceiling slabs and wall slabs is that the slabs when formed in abutted relation are assured to fit in abutted relation when erected.

Yet another advantage of forming the wall slabs and ceiling slabs in abutted relation is that the structural integrity of the building can be reinforced by placing jointswhich key between the respective slabs. Dynamic shear loadings tending to separate the discrete building units can be resisted.

A further object of this invention is to disclose an interlock between adjoining wall slabs and ceiling slabs.

An advantage of this interlock is that overlying and underlying walls can form a continuous foundation to roof building column to assure structural integrity of the building.

Yet another advantage of this invention is that two floors at their edges can be supported on one underlying wall slabs.

Yet another advantage of this invention is that ceiling slabs and overlying wall slabs are keyed to provide structural integrity to the building.

A further object of this invention is to disclose a folding slab construction technique which can be used with a structural hinge so that the slab edges and the hinge cooperate to assure structural integrity of the building. Such a hinge is disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 219237 entitled IMPROVED STRUC- TURAL HINGE FOR FOLDING SLAB CON- STRUCTED BUILDINGS, filed Jan. 20, 1972, now abandoned.

Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will become more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a building being erected utilizing the construction of this invention illustrating the building in the process of being erected;

FIG. 2 is an expanded plan detail of wall slabs formed in accordance with my invention;

FIG. 3 is an expanded plan detail of ceiling slabs formed overlying wall slabs shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation section illustrating ceiling slabs and wall slabs forming a roadway for lifting apparatus necessary for slab erected, the lifting apparatus here being shown as a crane;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of two building units erected according to this invention with a third building unit shown being lowered into place;

FIG. 6 is a detail showing forming apparatus for building in the keyways between juxtaposed wall and ceiling slab edges; and

FIG. 7 is a detail of a corner joint between underlying walls, overlying walls and abutted ceiling slabs, the

joints being formed in accordance with the teaching of this invention.

With reference to FIG. 1, a perspective view is illustrated of this invention illustrating the construction of a multistory apartment building (here shown four stories high). A first vertical segment of discrete building units A A A and A is shown erected the full height of the building, unit A, being at the bottom and unit A, at the top. These building units A A A and A for convenience of construction are bifurcated into a lefthand unit 14 and a right-hand unit 16.

Building unit B is shown erected. Left-hand unit 14 of building unit B is shown being placed on top of lefthand unit 14 of building unit B As can be seen, the remaining slabs of building units B B and B remain to be erected.

A crane 18 is shown positioned over building units C, and D,. From this lifting point, crane 18 through boom 20 and lifting cables 22 raises the slabs of building units B to place the slabs on top of the previously erected building units 3,.

Stopping at this juncture important aspects of this building construction can be noted. First, the unerected slabs of the building units C D, E and F are capable of furnishing points from which crane 18 may operate to assemble the building. Thus crane 18 does not have to be positioned outside of the foundation site of the building. Rather, the crane need only travel on the formed but unerected slabs of the building units C D E and F Secondly, it should be noted that the slabs when erected need only be moved horizontally a distance in depth equal to their slab width 24. Thus, it will be seen that the left-hand portion 14 of building B, when raised above the height of building unit B, need only be moved horizontally a distance equal to the depth dimension 24 of its ceiling and wall slab. Minimal movement of the slab horizontally is required.

Thirdly, it will be noted that slabs A, A originally were formed on that portion of the building site occupied by building units B, 8,. Similarly, building units B, B, occupy that portion of the building site where slabs C, C, will be erected. This progression continues with the casting site of building units F F being unoccupied when the building is finally erected. Assuming that building units F, F are towards the front or street side of a building site it will be found that the casting site for the slabs of building units F, F, is equal in most cases to the required setback. Alternately, temporary encroachment on streets, sidewalks and the like can be made during the construction of the building.

Finally and referring to my co-pending patent application, Ser. No. 219,237 entitled IMPROVED STRUCTURAL HINGE FOR FOLDING SLAB CON- STRUCTED BUILDINGS it will be noted that in this application I have disclosed how building units can be formed one upon another with hingeably joined wall slabs underlying their respective ceiling slabs. Moreover, in that application the hinge providing a structural interlock, particularly applicable to this invention, is disclosed. For purposes of brevity the material in these co-pending applications will not be repeated herein.

Referring to FIG. 2 the slabs of building units A,, B, and C, are all illustrated as formed. On top of these slabs the wall slabs 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37 of lefthand building units A,, B and C are illustrated being formed. It will be noted that these wall slabs all overlie a portion of the underlying ceiling slabs of building units A,, B, and C,.

It is necessary to hingeably conjoin the wall slabs 31-37 to their overlying ceiling slabs which are subsequently formed. Accordingly, a hinge construction similar to that provided in my co-pending patent application is provided at the upper edge of each wall.

I have used a standard architectural convention to indicate-the edge of each wall which is hinged. This convention consists of an imaginary V scribed on the surface of each of the walls. This V points to and designates the upper edge of the wall which is adjacent the hinge axis. In the case wall 31 of building unit A, it can be seen that edge 41 is parallel and immediately adjacent to the hinged axis of the wall slab 31. Similarly, wall slab 32 is hinged parallel to upper edge 42, wall slab 33 at upper edge 43, wall slab 34 at upper edge 44, wall slab 35 at upper edge 45, wall slab 36 at upper edge 46 and wall slab 37 at upper edge 47.

Once the walls 31-37 are cast for building units A,, B and C the ceiling slabs for these units are next cast. For this to occur, two things must happen. First, those areas of the ceiling slabs of units A,, B,, and C, which do not have a wall overlying them are typically filled with a filler material. Usually, this material will take the form of hollow cores of plywood construction. As will be obvious to those skilled in the building trade, these hollow plywood cores can later be incorporated in various portions of the building construction. For example, the cores can be used as wooden partitions between adjoining apartments.

.After the hollow plywood forms have been placed on the ceiling slab of the underlying building units A,, B,, and C,, a continuous and flat surface will be formed. On this surface ceiling slabs 51, 52, and 53 of the building units A,, B and C, can be formed. This much is illustrated in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, an advantage of the wall and ceiling slab construction of this invention is illustrated. Typically, when a roadway for crane 18 is provided over the upper surface of the formed but unerected building slab, these slabs must provide a continuous roadway surface on which the crane can operate. Conceivably, if ceiling slab 53 of building unit C, does not have wall slab 37 of building unit C, underlying it, the weight of the crane tire may be sufficient to crack, splay or otherwise damage the ceiling slab 53. Accordingly, the wall slab 37 defines underlying ceiling slab 53 a solid concrete surface from the building site at the lower end up to the crane tire at the upper end. Since this surface is solid, and of concrete, with substantially no pockets underlying the ceiling slab a firm surface from which slab lifting can occur is effective. As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, where doorways and the like occur in the wall slabs (such as wall slab 37), it may be desired to plug these doorways with a substantial core so that any propensity of the crane to damage the building slabs over which it travels is avoided. An alternate system would be use of heavy timbers to support the crane as it travels across an underlying wall opening.

Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, two additional features of this invention can be observed. First, it will be noted that wall slab 36 abutswall slab 37. Similarly, wall slab 37 abuts an adjacent wall slab 38 (only partially shown in the view of FIG. 2). This abutment between adjacent wall slabs continues the length of the entire building units B, through building units C,, D,, E, and F,. Similarly, and in the same way, abuttment occurs, between the wall slabs for building units B C D E and F For each of the separate stories of this building unit construction abuttment between the walls of the building units occurs. It will be noted in the construction illustrated here abutment occurs at molding concrete walls which define the hallway of the building. Abutting walls could just as easily be placed on the exterior of the building, as for example, the abutment of wall 33 of left-hand building unit 14 of building unit A, with the adjacent wall of right-hand building unit 16 of building unit A Referring to FIG. 3, it can readily be seen that abutment of the ceiling slabs 51 and 52 and 53 occurs. This abutment occurs not only between the adjoining ceiling slabs but additionally with the ceiling slabs of righthand units 16.

Referring to FIG. 5 the juxtaposition of the ceiling slabs and the hallway wall slabs of this invention is specifically illustrated. It can be seen that ceiling slab 52 of building unit B abuts ceiling slab 53 of building unit C Similarly, wall slab 36 of building unit B, abuts wall slab 37 of building unit C Thus, between each of the respective building units B, and C abutment occurs between an edge of a ceiling slab and an edge of a wall slab.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3 it will be immediately realized that the wall slabs and ceiling slabs which abut one another when the building is erected also abut one another when the slabs are formed. With this type of construction, it is then possible to cast at the point of abutment indentations. When the walls are raised and placed in their abutted and erected relation, the indentations cast into the walls will be in substantially the same relation as the indentations were when the walls were originally cast.

Referring to FIG. 6 an exemplary illustration of how an indentation can be cast along one portion of a ceiling slab is illustrated. Specifically, a first U-shaped form 60 having an elongate plywood plank 61 with two end members 62 and 63 is illustrated. Juxtaposed to form member 60 is a second U-shaped form member 65 having an elongate member 66 with two end members 67 and 68. In the construction here shown the U-section of form 60 opens towards the viewer; the U-section of form 65 opens away from the viewer and toward ceiling slab 52 of building unit B,.

It can be seen that when the edges of adjacent ceiling slabs or wall slabs are cast in this manner, one side of the forms 60-65 can be used as a border of one ceiling slab and the opposite side of the forms 60 65 can be used as a border for an adjoining and abutted slab. For example, the form construction used in FIG. 6 could be utilized to cast the juxtaposed edges of ceiling slab 53 of building unit B, with ceiling slab 53 of building unit C1.

It will be immediately realized that by forming indentations in the abutting edges of adjoining slabs, complementary indentations will be formed which will abut one another when the building is erected. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art complementary abutted indentations in the adjacent edges of adjacent building units will furnish the buildings structure with integrity against shear stresses between juxtaposed slabs. Thus, a building constructed in accordance with the teachings of this invention will have a structural integrity imparted to its folding slab construction which has heretofore not been practical.

Referring to FIG. 7, an additional advantage of the hinge construction of this invention is illustrated. Typically, ceiling panels 52 and 53 of building units B at right-hand unit 16 are illustrated. Each of these units is shown in assembled relation which with their respective wall panels 36 and 37 underlying an edge of the ceiling panels 52 and 53.

Utilizing the forming technique illustrated with respect to FIG. 6, indentations 70 have been cast at the edges of the ceiling panels 52 and 53. These indentations 70 serve to expose a portion of the upper edge of the wall panels 36 and 37. Thus when the wall slabs 36 and 37 move from a horizontal disposition, to a vertical disposition when the slabs are erected, the upper edge 76 of wall panel 36 and 77 of wall panel 37 will be upwardly exposed.

lndentations can be used for two specific purposes. First, indentation 70 can be used to receive a protruding lower portion 80 from an overlying wall slab 37 of an overlying building unit C This much is illustrated in the right-hand portion of HO. 7, the overlying wall panel 37 here being shown in the process of being lowered onto the upper edge 77 of the wall 37. Se-.

condly, the indentation 70 can be used to receive and support an edge of an adjacent ceiling panel 52. Thus much is shown at ceiling panel protuberance 82 from ceiling panel 52 of B resting on an underlying wall (not shown) hinged to ceiling panel 53 of building unit C As can be seen at the downwardly projecting portion 80 of wall 35' of building C the same indentations 70 can be made to accommodate and support an adjacent ceiling panel as well as to support an overlying wall panel. This is accomplished by making the protuberance 82 from a ceiling panel and the downwardly projecting portion 80 from a wall panel of a dimension and building spacing wherein both can cooperatively penetrate and occupy adjacent portions of an indentation 70.

Just as complementary indentations have been formed in the edges of abutting ceiling panels, complementary indentations can be formed in the edges of abutted wall panels. Such complementary indentations are illustrated at the pocket 84 defined in wall panel 37 with the complementary protuberance 86 defined in the edge of wall panel 36.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a wall construction having both adaptability to a limited site and improved structural integrity results. It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that departures can be made from this disclosure without departing from the spirit of this invention. For example, the floor plan of this disclosed building construction could be substantially altered without departing from either the process or the apparatus set forth in this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A process of erecting a folding slab building on a building site including the steps of: forming in substantially parallel planes on said building site a first building unit including a ceiling slab and a plurality of hingeably joined wall slabs, said wall slabs being sufficient to support said ceiling slab when said ceiling slab is raised to an erected position; forming in substantially parallel planes on an immediately adjacent segment of said building site a second building unit including a ceiling slab and a plurality of hingeably joined wall slabs, said wall slabs being sufficient to support said ceiling slabs when said ceiling slab is raised to an erected position; providing a lifting apparatus for raising each of said building units; placing said lifting apparatus over said formed slabs of said second building unit; utilizing said lifting apparatus from said position on said slabs of said second building unit to raise and erect said slabs of said first building unit.

2. The process of claim 1 and including the additional steps of: forming in substantially parallel planes over the slabs of said first building unit a third building unit including a ceiling slab and a plurality of hingeably joined wall slabs, said wall slabs being sufficient to support said ceiling slab of said third building unit and all slabs of said first building unit when said ceiling slab of said third building unit is raised and placed in an erected position; forming in substantially parallel planes over the slabs of said second building unit a fourth building unit including a ceiling slab and a plurality of hingeably joined wall slabs, said wall slabs being sufficient to support said ceiling slab of said fourth building unit and all of the slabs of said second building unit when said ceiling slab of said fourth building unit is raised to an erected position; placing said lifting apparatus over said formed slabs of said fourth building unit and over said formed slabs of said second building unit; utilizing said lifting apparatus from said position on said slabs of said fourth building unit to raise and erect the slabs of said third building unit before raising and erecting said slabs of said first building unit.

3. The process of claim 1 and including the steps of: forming said walls of said first and second building units underlying the ceiling slabs of said first and second building units to define in cooperation with said ceiling slabs a roadway for said lifting apparatus.

4. The process of claim 1 and including the step of forming the slabs of said first building unit over one segment of the foundation site of said building and erecting said slabs of said building unit on an immediately adjacent segment of the foundation site of said building. 

1. A process of erecting a folding slab building on a building site including the steps of: forming in substantially parallel planes on said building site a first building unit including a ceiling slab and a plurality of hingeably joined wall slabs, said wall slabs being sufficient to support said ceiling slab when said ceiling slab is raised to an erected position; forming in substantially parallel planes on an immediately adjacent segment of said building site a second building unit including a ceiling slab and a plurality of hingeably joined wall slabs, said wall slabs being sufficient to support said ceiling slabs when said ceiling slab is raised to an erected position; providing a lifting apparatus for raising each of said building units; placing said lifting apparatus over said formed slabs of said second building unit; utilizing said lifting apparatus from said position on said slabs of said second building unit to raise and erect said slabs of said first building unit.
 2. The process of claim 1 and including the additional steps of: forming in substantially parallel planes over the slabs of said first building unit a third building unit including a ceiling slab and a plurality of hingeably joined wall slabs, said wall slabs being sufficient to support said ceiling slab of said third building unit and all slabs of said first building unit when said ceiling slab of said third building unit is raised and placed in an erected position; forming in substantially parallel planes over the slabs of said second building unit a fourth building unit including a ceiling slab and a plurality of hingeably joined wall slabs, said wall slabs being sufficient to support said ceiling slab of said fourth building unit and all of the slabs of said second building unit when said ceiling slab of said fourth building unit is raised to an erected position; placing said lifting apparatus over said formed slabs of said fourth building unit and over said formed slabs of said second building unit; utilizing said lifting apparatus from said position on said slabs of said fourth building unit to raise and erect the slabs of said third buiLding unit before raising and erecting said slabs of said first building unit.
 3. The process of claim 1 and including the steps of: forming said walls of said first and second building units underlying the ceiling slabs of said first and second building units to define in cooperation with said ceiling slabs a roadway for said lifting apparatus.
 4. The process of claim 1 and including the step of forming the slabs of said first building unit over one segment of the foundation site of said building and erecting said slabs of said building unit on an immediately adjacent segment of the foundation site of said building. 